Video won’t playback

[Np0405]

My Arlo video doorbell is giving me notifications but when I click on them I’m seeing a length of recording being 522:15:31 or similar (as opposed to the normal 0:15 or whatever). Why I try to actually play the recording it zeros out the length and nothing plays. This happens intermittently as some recordings through out the day are fine. I’ve updated my app and my phone (iOS 14.4.2 and the latest Arlo app).

[ryraansh]

I am experiencing this exact same issue with my doorbell. I just installed it a few weeks ago and it has been working fine until now. I am using a Pixel 5 running Android 11, but the video issue appears on other devices as well.

[jguerdat]

Sounds like video corruption. Are you connecting via WiFi or a base/hub?

[Np0405]

WiFi... google nest mesh. Has been working fine for months (installed in Dec, issues popped up maybe a week or two ago). WiFi connection is very strong.

[jguerdat]

Could still be interference but try removing and reconnecting the doorbell first.

[ryraansh]

I am also connecting via WiFi (Google WiFi mesh system) Similar situation for me, it was working perfectly fine for the past few weeks.

[JamesC]

The development team is investigating reports of this issue. I will provide an update once we have more information to share.

JamesC

[jingz1]

Hi,

I bought and installed the Arlo yesterday, and I found there are two kinds of video records in my library, one comes with short timestamp that could easy access and play, another comes with long timestamp that could not play on web or Iphone.

Is there anyone coming accross this problem? 

[ryraansh]

This issue has been reported here: https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Video-Doorbell/Video-won-t-playback/td-p/1816057

[ryraansh]

Hi James,

It's been a few days and I am still experiencing this issue. Are there any updates from the development team?

[danbo11]

I am having the same issue. Any resolution?

[LizzieBeth813]

I just spent 2 hrs on the phone with Arlo’s “technical support” One hr on hold and the other arguing with the person. I have had this problem for 7 days and not one person can assist. The only answers I’ve received is “we are escalating this to another team and someone will get back to you in 24 to 48 hrs”. Today makes 72 hours and still no help. I finally get “it is a known issue and our expert team is working on it”. My video doorbell hardly ever had any issues until now and ironically right before my warranty expires. It is recording from 378 hrs to 578 hrs and when I open it, nothing has recorded. It goes to zero. I have tried everything including resetting the doorbell, logging off and back on, disarming and rearming. Nothing and no one can give a straight answer. By the time I was done with the rep, he was stuttering and he tried to make it seem as if I had done something to my doorbell. Can someone please tell me what is the “known issue”. I even asked that my doorbell be replaced if it can’t be fixed. He said no.

[Np0405]

I think known issue just means they know it’s happening but don’t know what is causing it. I assume it’s a software issue that they are trying to replicate to find the bug. It happens sporadically... mine is recording sometimes, and sometimes not.

[gallantmp]

Anyone else having issues with the video quality from their wired doorbell? The past week, I notice that a lot of the videos recorded and stored in my account from my wired video doorbell are either choppy during playback or they say they are over/around 300 minutes long (not actually the case) and won't play back at all. I notice that there was a recent firmware released on 3/25/2021, that my wired video doorbell is now on. Firmware version is 1.14.0.0_931_5ed3664_1c4138d. Not sure if that's a coincidence or not.  Thanks in advance.

[ryraansh]

This issue has been going on for a few weeks now, are there any updates at all from the development team? Unfortunately, I may have to return my Arlo products if this issue is not resolved soon, as it is seriously impairing the functionality of the doorbell.

[LizzieBeth813]

I agree with you. I’m already researching another video doorbell. I wasted my time chatting with “Kim” from Arlo support last night. They have no answers, no solutions and only excuses. Funny thing was that I asked for my replacement and was told “even if it’s replaced, I’m only going to have the same problem”. How would she know that? I’m on week two with my “known issue”. Once I purchase a new one, I will put the Arlo doorbell in the middle of the street so a truck can drive over it.

[JamesC]

This issue is still being investigated by the development team. I will provide an update once more information is available.

JamesC

[AMANDAinKC]

I am having the same issue with doorbell and has gotten worse in last few weeks. I have 3 other wireless cameras that are not having any issue with this. It is only an issue with my WIRED doorbell. It started with just 1 or 2 videos a day and now 75%+ of the videos are having this issue. I purchased this system from Costco a few months ago. If this issue is not resolved in the next 10 days, it's all going back (I LOVE Costco's return policy for this exact reason).

[dvwilbur]

In a way, I'm at least glad that others are having this problem and it isn't just me.  Some of my recorded videos from the doorbell have this really long timestamp and don't play anything.  Others are really choppy where I can see a vehicle enter the field of view and then it glitches and the vehicle is exiting the other side of the view.  It has been particularly frustrating because most of the "person" videos are the ones that won't play back so I can't see who came to the door.  I also had a neighbor ring the doorbell and i "answered" via my app while my wife answered the door and I watched the interaction at the door but the video quality was terrible with it mostly being static.  I have attempted a Reset of the doorbell but that has not helped at all.  The doorbell is pretty worthless as it is right now so I hope they fix this soon or I will have to investigate other brands... this should really tarnish the reputation of Arlo and their reputation was a major factor in my choosing them.

[Stevemichigan]

Exact same issue started several days ago.  Had 12 out of 37 videos on the 12th of Apr that had timestamps of 267:46:34 or such.

[LizzieBeth813]

I have been reaching out to tech support every 48 hrs due to the fact that I’m at about 85% glitch. I’m going to assume they’re reading off of a script for irate customers. In three weeks they went from “known issues” to “expert team” and now “engineering team”. I highly doubt they’re going to fix the issue. Purchasing a new doorbell today. Tired of waiting for nothing to happen.

[dvwilbur]

That escalation sounds right.  It seems like they are moving kinda slow for an issue this severe though.  I work in software development and problems are first recorded by the front-line support guys as "known" when they hear from multiple customers about a problem.  It then goes up to the "expert" team when the front-line grunts can't handle it with their standard "reset it, check for updates, etc".  When it turns out to be an actual software bug then it has to go to the "engineering" guys.  This should not have gotten through their QA (Quality Assurance/testing) and released to customers.  If engineering has it now then they should get it fixed but getting through their release processes may still take a while.  At least, I suspect this is a software bug in the firmware they pushed out in late March 2021.

[GD7]

This. I thought I was the only one experiencing this but I am not surprised to see everyone experiencing this. This has been an on-going issue for several weeks and it's quite disappointing to see ARLO not escalating this issue to the highest priority. I only submitted a ticket a few days ago and they told me to try restarting my phone, app, doorbell.... it's a software issue! The video playback has been choppy and the random clips where it is 319 hours long with no video playback is a serious concern! What if we need a exact clip for an incident and that video is not playable for this exact issue? This goes against the number one reason why a video doorbell is needed. ARLO DEV TEAM, please have this as a HIGH Priority Sev 1 ticket immediately and fix the root cause!!!!

[StephenB]

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@GD7 wrote:

I thought I was the only one experiencing this but I am not surprised to see everyone experiencing this.

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"Everyone" is probably overstated.  

But I agree it should be a very high priority fix (and I suspect Arlo is treating it that way).  They do respect their customer's privacy (meaning they don't have access to your video library) - which limits their ability to troubleshoot the problem. 

Ultimately they depend on folks contacting support, so they can gather relevant logs.  W/o that, they have to try and reproduce the problem in their labs.

[Stevemichigan]

Arlo has updated their app at least twice in the past few weeks, about the same timeframe everyone started having these recording issues.  Obviously something in their "improvement" of the app isn't working.